The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-10-31
SUNK In LAKE MICHIGAN.
THE LARGE PROPELLER VERNON GOES
TO PIECES IN A STORM

MILWAUKEE, Oct. 9O.--The steamship gu
perlor. arriving here at 8x o'clock last night,
brought the first news Of the total wreck Of
large passenger propeller of Manitowoc, Wis.
That the wreck 10 that OF the propeller Vernon
OF the Northern Michigan line fs established
almost beyond doubt. She was due here yes-
terday, and. from the description OF fragments
seen by the crew Of the Superior. her owners
here considered her identity fully established.
She had on board crew Of twenty-five men
and several passengers, the exact number not
being known, and It is supposed that all hands
persisted.
Capt. Moran OF the Superiori saw three or
four RATS with mon clinging to them. and also
small boat containing woman and three
mon. Although he made an effort to rescue
them, the high sea prevented the rendering OF
any assistance. the Superior being herself dis
abled and requiring the crews best efforts.
1t was about 10 o'clock In the morning when
the first signs Of the wreck in the shape OF
floating cargo and furniture were seen. About
an hour later the RATS were sighted. On some
tho occupants were almost gone. while others
signalled the Superior.
P.J. Klein Of Klein b Burk. who chartered
the Vernon to replace the Champlain. burned
early In the season. received the FIRST informa-
ton from q reporter. After hearing the &C.
that the vessel was the Vernon. He did not
know what passengers were on board, and Of
'1 Gait s" George S Thorpe Of osdsnsburs, NY,
Capt. Collins. mate. who formerly sailed the
Capt. Higgins, second mate, who sailed the
y W. BnrE. clerk, the Oldest son Of Mr.. Burk,
one OF the owners OF the vessel.
Gharles Marcau. first engineer.
Frank MI. Hall. second engineer. brother OF
Ed; Hall q Chicago:
Martin Beau. steward. MI,
Beau brothers were on the Champlain when
ssS vss Ssnss y . Soo s 8, es
betHes spd cssa and %sssns% s snS
Capt; Williams d the schooner Joseph PAIGE
having seen wreokase about six miles east Of
Two Riyers' Point; evidently Of PASSENGER MGR
possible for the Joseph Paige to got near enough
Capt. Moran Of the steamship Superior said
tos,dHa Sy ma. IN. mn, IN . r.,t .nro.,,,o for
and three men. one Of the latter hailing with 9
in a. terrible sea. without our being ablo to
render Thorn any assistance. was heart
I've were, also lighting for our lives. our
With the exception Of the cooks, our entire
were down below, some or them steering the
vessel with temporary tackle which we had
riSgsdb while the others were trying to re-
Our tiller had become disconnected from
the r1dder post, Leaving Us a. the mercy Of the
s Ms s % to ssSp oa
vessel out q the, trough OF the seas. and keep
we had made repairs SO that we could handle
ourselves. and then we were out OF sight Of the
" The cooks on deck were the first to call our
attention to the wreckage. 1t was about 10
O'clock this morning, when Of Two Rivers.
passsd through Some lumber. Five ,n% miles Ss
further on we passed a lot Of barrels. and then
sas a tSd
One cook said he counted fifteen life pre-
81 ,e sss
pike pole was oni On deck part A Of the
they had all they could DO whore they were;
Manitowoe the cook. who. had been keeping
lookout. called me on deck with the informs
As 1 went on deck could plainly see the man IN
waving his hand to us. He was standing up
right on the raft; which, was about half mile
between U.S. US and the shore and the sea was
SsisS ssSs about twelve feet square and
low he must have Thought it cruel Of us to pass
BY and leave him there to suffer Ten minutes
later we sighted another raft, also about half a
Parently not more than four by eight feet, and
looked like piece OF bulwarks.
alive dd dsee MnG aaeuvn
far gone. We could see him dip his head as
woman as further soeh 9 There m Hne
in the boat. the three We saw being on the
seats: One Of the men was standing up hold
Ing NE oar Nth his coat swinging TO attract
dened In their expectation of help from u.s.
" How inhnman they must have thought US
too. without even turning our vessel toward
them, but with ll, our steering gear disabled as
was nothing Tor us to do but hope that Some Of
the vessels coming up the lake astern OF US
might discover them end pick them up.
and-aft schooner coming up the lake after US
may have, picked up the, persons in the boat.
could see through the glass that she was head
ing toward them. But she may have been
bound for Manitowoe' and could have passed
, There was little possibility that she could
have taken the men or the RATS. and it is even
uOuDtlul ii BIO coulu DICK inc ydWl IN SuCn
u sea- II she could get close enough to throw
them line as she scudded by and they held on
to it. there might be chance for them to be
saved.
1t was as heavy q sea as have experienced
In all my life on the lakes. Just to give you an
idea of II, the Sandusky, which We had In tow,
sometimes buried herself SO that only half OF
her masts could be seen. Once she stayed
under SO long that thought she was gone.
We will make repairs here and go on to
The finding of the pilot house of the propel;;
Ter Vernon by a tug near Manitowoc settles all
doubt regarding the identity Of the lost vessel.
1t Is feared that not q single soul OF the thirty
or more aboard is left to tell the story Of the
disaster.
A forlorn hope Is entertained that passing
vessel may have picked up some OF the unfor-
tunates. but with the terrible sea running
1t would have been almost . miracle to ac-
complish q rescue. The Captain OF the life
saving crew ut Two Rivers describes tho storm
as the worst ever seen by him on the lake, the
waves rising to the height OF thirty or forty
feet
The first information received By him was
from this mornings. papers, although the
wreck Is supposed to have taken place within
seven miles OF Two Rivers.
1t was bitterly cold on tho lake." he said.
" and q person could not have stood the ex-
posture over night. The spray dashlng over
the men cltnging to the wreckaRe must have